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| Light a candle and SHINE |
Light a Candle
I’ve always
loved a good candle, but then twenty years ago when my children came to me (three of the five came at once,) I had to
let my love for candles go.
My youngest
daughter Fatima found one that was lit and put her entire hand in the wax of
the candle. She crawled over to me, white hand glowing and smiled as she held
up her tiny fingers.
I screamed and Fatima laughed and
then kept crawling.
I checked for injury; she had none
and so I blew out my candle for almost 20 years.
Last week, I
had the opportunity to meet with an incredible group of people who sell
candles. Not just any candle, The Gold Canyon candle is said to be the world’s
finest. The wax is cool (something I could have used,) the scents are truly
unbelievable and ---wait for it, they were invented by a woman. (Read more about Gold Canyon)
This company
of purpose-filled people host parties in communities not just to sell candles,
but with a mission to light the hearts and minds of others.
Now, if you’ve
read any of my posts, then you know that I’m not trying to sell you a candle (they
are truly remarkable) what I’m doing is setting you up.
I want to ask you this; what you have
given up that you need to go and reclaim?
What joy, what light, and what little
thing did you lose along this pathway called life?
Until I met
with these folks; mostly women who sell candles to help their families and
children in need---really I’m serious—I had forgotten about why I got rid
of the candles.
I shared the
story with my daughter and she had a completely different memory.
“That whole
wax thing is why I love candles, but every time I light one you get scared, so
I blow it out.”
I wondered
how many other things I’d done in the name of safety that was interpreted some
other way.
I handed her
a candle, and I light it there in front of her.
“This is your candle,”
I told her, “don’t let anyone snuff it out.”
Be you, be well, be glowing.
Bertice Berry, PhD.
You are such an inspiration! I will definitely be following your blog. You were by far the BEST speaker we've ever had at Convention and that was the 7th one I've been too. I'm so glad Gold Canyon brought you in to share with us!
ReplyDeleteThis was perfect. As mothers we tend to protect our children from our fears not allowing them to be hurt by anything or anyone not realizing that wisdom is most time gained from pain
ReplyDeleteI am from Canada and I LOVE Gold Canyon Candles and this company thanks to Karen Wasaith for following her passion and dream has helped many men and women in North America....Bertice you spoke amazing and you have truly inspired me more in life....It was a pleasure to listen to u at convention...thank you for your powerful message! You are Inspiring!!!
ReplyDeleteI laughed and cried with you at our convention! Thank you for coming and sharing your story and inspiring us!
ReplyDeleteOne of the best moves Gold Canyon could ever do, was bring you to our Gold Canyon convention and have you speak with us. You were PHENOMENAL!!!! Definitely the highlight of my '13 convention! I am now your biggest fan!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThis was my first convention and all the stories were inspiring. When you spoke I hung on every word. You are an amazing speaker and I am so glad Gold Canyon invited you. I have cleaned out my lint filter and my candle is glowing. My goal is to not only be better at my business but to be a better me!
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry you were truly the highlight of our Gold Canyon convention: funny, inspirational, amazing. You also had people walking around Phoenix all weekend with their top teeth jutting out.
ReplyDeleteYou INSPIRED me. I could have listened to you the rest of that day.. into the next and then following days after. Thank you for being YOU and sharing your LIGHT with us at the Gold Canyon convention 2013. Blessings to you always!
ReplyDeleteDr Berry,
ReplyDeleteYou have shined a light on US! Not to just illuminate our own paths, but to be able to SEE OURSELVES as we are! So many of my Gold Canyon sisters at convention were moved to tears. And in an amazing transformation, we ALL were healed of something. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for reminding us all that this life was MEANT TO BE.
Since you spoke to us, my mantra had been to "walk with purpose," my destiny awaits......
Thank You! Thank You!! Thank You!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are AMAZING!!!!
Thank you for sharing!!! We as mothers can be overprotective at times. But, I love how you came back to your daughter and shared what you came to from the experience. BE Blessed!
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry,
ReplyDeleteI am a Gold Canyon consultant and this was only my second year at Convention, but hearing you speak and the positive energy and inspiration you exude was the highlight of the convention for me!Your story lit a fire in me(haha!)and I am forever grateful! I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard or was moved to tears in such a short time frame! And I am blessed to be with such a wonderful group of "co-workers" and friends- Gold Canyon is the World's Finest! Thank You!!
What a beautiful blog, Dr. Berry ,I am with Gold Canyon Candles and it has been a blessing to my family and community. Before I was introduced to them I thought all candle were the same. There is a spirit of excellence with in the candles, company and gold canyon family. It is such a blessing and divine connection that you spoke at convention. I pray I have the opportunity to hear you speak. Be blessed
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing you Friday at the Gold Canyon convention. All of the ladies on our team talked about you and what you said the whole weekend. We appreciate you sharing with us!!!
ReplyDeleteDr Berry, I've had the good fortune and hearing many talented and wonderful speakers over the years. Bar none - you are by far the VERY BEST I've ever had the pleasure of hearing! As with any good speaker, you tailored your presentation to your audience and I expected that. What I didn't expect is that you would really tune in to our hearts and souls and you would 'feel' us the way you did. Everyone talks about being authentic and genuine. You are the REAL DEAL! I am a new fan and feel blessed to have experienced you and been moved my your message. Thank you so very much for sharing your heart and soul with us!
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry, you are INCREDIBLE! I don't want anyone else to ever speak at our Gold Canyon Convention again! Why? Because they can't hold a candle to you! (pun very much intended) My only regret, is that I didn't get to meet you...as I am pretty much convinced that you are my long lost twin sister...from facial expressions, goofiness and to Patsy Cline & k.d. lang! You gave us 110% of you and your heart! In just a small amout of time you taught us many life lessons. Here's to you: "A GOOD TEACHER IS LIKE A CANDLE - it consumes itself to light the way for others." Thank you Thank you Thank you for being you..and sharing your light and giving us enough to light our own!!
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry your words was very inspiring. I would love to meet you again
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry, You opened my eyes in so many ways after you spoke to us at Convention and you have been the Best speaker we have ever Had there since I've been going to Convention. This was my 7th year. You are an inspiration to keep working hard or even harder to reach our Goals. Thank you, thank you thank you!!! Consider me your friend from then on!
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your heart with us. I have never been so positively affected and inspired as I was while listening to you. I laughed through my tears and cried through my laughter and to me, that is the best emotion ever. I love the "crazygood" world we live in and YOU made it that much better. Thank you for joining us at our 2013 Gold Canyon Convention. You definitely made an impact, one that will be with me forever. God Bless You.
This was my fourth convention and by far, you held my attention more than any speaker in previous years. You motivated and inspired, made me laugh and cry. You gave me more than one "Aha moment" that will be life changers. Thank you and please come back next year.
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry, I have to admit, when I saw that we were having an 'inspirational speaker' at convention, I thought to myself "another rah rah talk, great!" However, your personality, your vibrancy, your sense of humor and sense of self, was so overwhelming. As I posted on one of my Gold Canyon sister's page - you were the perfect combination of tugging at my heart strings while tapping on my funny bone.
ReplyDeleteAnd because of your talk, I am working on forgiving my mother of the poor legacy she left me and striving to leave an even better legacy for my daughter. My gift to her has been and will continue to be a clean slate.
And I will remember that during those times in my life when things aren't going the way I think they should, that sometimes you just have to chuckle and say 'somethin' not right'.
Thank you, Dr. Berry. I only wish I would have had the pleasure of meeting you in person. You truly are an inspiration and left your legacy on my heart!
"When you use your flame to ignite another's, it doesn't diminish your flame...it makes them both burn brighter." That is what you did for all of us in that room at the Gold Canyon Convention last Friday. You left a legacy that will always be with me. Thank you Dr. Berry.
ReplyDeleteDr. Berry,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for being you & showing others, like me, to forgive ourselves in order to let our candle shine. You uplifted, made us cry (in a good way), inspired, and most of all sang to our soul with your words of wisdom, advice, & most of all encouragement! From one brain illness to another brain trauma, keep your candle shining my friend!
God Bless!!!
You are amazing! You were the best part of the convention! Thank you so much for all your inspiration!
ReplyDeleteGirl....were you the talk of convention...and with good reason. Hands down you have been the best speaker I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. You had me crying tears of joy and emotion - all at the same time - now that's someone who can "move" you. I have to admit, I'm not the kind of gal that remembers quotes but you stopped me in my tracks with "When you walk with purpose, you collide with destiny". Scent-sational words to live by.
ReplyDeleteThank You for being YOU!
Dear Dr. Berry,
ReplyDeleteI had the honor and pleasure to hear you speak at our Gold Canyon convention.I also have the privalege at our team meeting this week to talk to my fellow candle sisters about meeting you. As I read through the comments and compliments from everyone I am once again brought back into that convention room with you.Words cannot truly express what an amazing gift you have. Anyone who is fortunate enough to hear you speak they will be impacted in one way or another. I felt as if I was the only one sitting in the room with you that day. You put such an applicable,common sense, and heartfelt process's that can help to answer everyday and lifetime struggles.I have talked about you everyday since convention and I have written your inspirational phrase in my notebook to read every day,"When you walk with purpose,you collide with destiny" it is now on my signature page on all of my email responses. My intention is to pass on your lit candle and share it not only with my team but anyone who needs to clean their own filter giving them the opportunity to determine their purpose and collide with destiny! Thank-you Dr. Berry for sharing yourself with all of us. I am eternally grateful that I was their that day.